Blackpool comeback leads to Claret defeat

Last updated : 02 September 2012 By Andy Ashworth
Three goals this season for Jason Gilchrist

Following his recovery from a knee injury Jack Errington was available to play and took the captain's armband. He was one of only two 2nd year scholars, along with Jason Gilchrist up front, following the facial injury sustained by Luke Gallagher in the Man Utd development squad game. The rest of the side was made up of a mixture of 1st year scholars and schoolboys, with Luke Daly the only available 1st year not starting the game. He instead took a place on the bench with U-16 schemer Andreas Bianga lining up in the middle of the park.

We kicked off playing into a stiff breeze down on the bottom pitch but the opening quarter hour saw no real chances created. The first break though did lead indirectly to a goal and also created a potential talking point. Lewis Nuttall streaked onto a ball played through a high defensive line and got to the ball before the charging keeper. He nicked it past the stopper and was wiped out in the D. The defenders were coming back but they were wide and if Nuttall had rode the challenge he could have walked the ball in. The ref decided though that a free kick and yellow card were all that was needed, when perhaps a red would have been the right call.

The free kick was lined up and a routine was attempted, but it failed. Nathan Lowe however drew another foul a couple of yards wider. The call from the sideline to Gilchrist was to ‘put his laces through it’ and that is what he did, hammering in to the top corner for his 3rd league goal in three games.

Both sides were playing good football but both defences were doing a good job of nullifying threats. It was the woodwork though that saved both sides as the half wore on. Bianga stuck the bar with a sweet curling effort from distance. For Blackpool a corner from the left was missed by Callum Jakovlevs and Pool hit the bar twice in a matter of seconds with headers, before the ball was scrambled clear.

The visitors did equalise on around the half hour mark as we struggled to clear our lines from sustained pressure and a right wing cross to the back post was slotted home. Before too long we were behind and it was a lovely chip that dropped in just under the bar. We were more than a little panicked now and the Blackpool attacks were turning us round and causing problems. Jakovlevs stood tall to keep out an effort from the Pool right winger, while it took good cover from Errington to curtail a midfield break.

The 2nd half started with Pool still having the upper hand and Jakovlevs was again called on to make a save. Errington was replaced before the hour mark with Waqas Azam replacing him and moving to right back, with Charlie Holt stepping into the centre. It made no immediate change though as Jakovlevs gloved another effort wide. Moving into the final 25 minutes we brought on Ntumba Massanka and Daly for Bianga and Nuttall and took up what looked like the current 1st team formation.

The visitors were relentless and continued to create the best chances and we were grateful for the glovework of our keeper Jakovlevs to keep us in the game. However, it proved too much as Pool extended their lead with a shot from outside the box through a crowd. They then hit the foot post which would have iced the cake from them. Our final chance came for Massanka but he lifted the ball just over the bar when fed wide in the box.

All in all not a good day at the office but Pash and Faz will ensure the young team will learn from this.

Team:- Callum Jakovlevs, Charlie Holt, Christian Hill, Jack Errington (Waqas Azam), Alex Whitmore, Nathan Lowe, Andreas Bianga (Luke Daly), Bradley Jackson, Jamie Frost, Lewis Nuttall (Ntumba Massanka), Jason Gilchrist.
Sub not used:- Danny Eccles.